Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offended the Chinese Communist Party with her visit to Taiwan, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn might well send China’s rulers into apoplexy.
Throughout her surprise visit, the Republican senator was brash, dismissive, and wholly unconcerned about how her presence in or statements about Taiwan would be received in Beijing.
“It is an honor to be in Taipei, demonstrating that the Chinese Communist Party can’t dictate U.S. foreign policy,” Blackburn tweeted Friday,
It is an honor to be in Taipei, demonstrating that the Chinese Communist Party can’t dictate U.S. foreign policy.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) August 26, 2022
Blackburn, who serves on the Senate’s Commerce and Armed Services committees, was just the latest U.S. official to ignore dire warnings and threats from the People’s Republic of China.
While Blackburn does not represent the Biden administration, she was nonetheless warmly received by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who urged more democracies to rally together in the face of communist aggression.
“We also look forward to working with the United States to strengthen cooperation on semiconductors and other high-tech sectors and jointly respond to the economic challenges of the post-pandemic era,” Tsai said in a statement.
Following a meeting with Tsai, Blackburn, among the more vocal supporters of increased U.S. action in support of Taiwan, issued a series of statements in which she pledged her support to Taiwan, urged the White House to do more, and championed legislation that would boost Taiwan’s defenses.
“The United States and Taiwan have a strong partnership, and I appreciate President Tsai’s leadership,” Blackburn said. “Now more than ever, we cannot let Communist China dictate who can visit or support our freedom-loving partner … The White House needs to follow suit by ensuring that the CCP cannot accomplish their goal of regional isolation. I will not be silenced by Communist China, and I will not stop fighting for global freedom.”
On the off chance Chinese officials missed her public statements, Blackburn also took her messaging to Twitter, where she announced her visit as it began on Thursday.
I just landed in Taiwan to send a message to Beijing — we will not be bullied.
The United States remains steadfast in preserving freedom around the globe, and will not tolerate efforts to undermine our nation and our allies. pic.twitter.com/yVcaYN7yIA— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) August 25, 2022
“I just landed in Taiwan to send a message to Beijing — we will not be bullied,” Blackburn tweeted shortly after arriving in Taipei City. “The United States remains steadfast in preserving freedom around the globe, and will not tolerate efforts to undermine our nation and our allies.”
Blackburn continued posting, in multiple languages, throughout Friday and Saturday. In these latter tweets she, among many other things, repeatedly called Taiwan an independent nation, spoke well of the late Republic of China leader Chiang Kai-shek, and generally told off the leaders of China.
Honoring Chiang is a defiant stance to take. Chiang was the leader of mainland China prior to the uprising of the communists and continued to lead a free China, albeit in exile, in Taiwan until his death in 1975.
Talks of Taiwan as a nation were even more provocative. Pro-wrestler-turned-Hollywood-actor John Cena famously prostrated himself before the PRC after he called the nation of Taiwan a nation. China insists that Taiwan is little more than a part of China, wholly subject to the whim and rule of the communist party.
Blackburn proved the bigger person than Cena despite being a half foot shorter and more than 100 pounds lighter. Where Cena felt the need to grovel, as many Hollywood personages had before him, Blackburn demonstrated no such compunction. She repeatedly referred to Taiwan as an independent nation and China as part of the new axis of evil.
“I will never kowtow to the Chinese Communist Party,” Blackburn tweeted, adding in a different post, “Xi Jinping doesn’t scare me.”
Gordon Chang, a conservative columnist and expert on the Indo-Pacific, applauded Blackburn for her stance.
Sen. @MarshaBlackburn has called #Taiwan a “country.” Yes! As Confucius told us, we must always call things by their proper names. Take that, #CCP. #China https://t.co/ur4LClRrcK
— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) August 26, 2022
“Sen. @MarshaBlackburn has called #Taiwan a ‘country.’ Yes!” Change tweeted. “As Confucius told us, we must always call things by their proper names. Take that, #CCP. #China.”
While FISM is a Christian and not Confusinistic organization, the news team is governed by a similar, in this case Biblical, calling to describe reality as it is, and Blackburn’s visit to Taiwan is certainly telling of a growing movement from the entirety of the West.
Perhaps it’s mere political posturing, or maybe China’s bluster has awakened old notions of standing up to communist bullies, but leaders from the West have responded to threats and military shows of force from China with ever-more-frequent visits to Taiwan.
Earlier this month, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) visited Taiwan to the great consternation of China. Two weeks later, Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts led another group of U.S. officials to Taiwan. A group of Canadian lawmakers has also announced plans to visit the nation in October.